Behind the scenes - "Secret Garden" photoshoot

Hello! Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

We had a photo shoot on Saturday with photographers, Amelia Aventine and Adam Rowney, visiting from UK.   "Secret Garden" was the theme. Amelia found this amazing spot on a man-made island in Tokyo named Odaiba. The spot she found was secluded, almost isolated from the rest of the island.  Best part, it had no security to bother us! We were left to our own devices without any distraction for hours.

I was afraid that it would rain on Saturday, but thankfully, it was sunny and dry through out the day. Regrettably, it was one of the coldest days in February. Our model Yurie Nakatomi had to stand in 6 degree weather for 7 hours...I felt so bad for her :(

The weather has been crazy here lately..On Sunday, it was 20 degrees, and super sunny, then today, it switched and went back down to 6 degrees. I can't wait for Spring to come!

Anyway, it was a lot of fun shooting this"Secret Garden" theme. Amelia came up with the whole story board, and I made dresses to match. I love how the clothes came out, and how Amelia styled the photos. We were really on the same page! It might be a little while until I can post the lookbook pictures and get the dresses up on  my shop. In the meantime, here are some behind-the-scene photos and a little video! 

Cut out dress giveaway! - CLOSED

Happy Friday everyone! I'm running my first blog giveaway today. I just realized recently that I've never had a giveaway on my blog and I should. I really appreciate all of you for reading, commenting and supporting this small diary of mine, and wanted to give something back.

So, I'm giving away this cut out dress! I made this to wear to my friend's wedding last April, and it's only been worn once. It's made out of poly satin in gray, and perfect for weddings, cocktail parties..etc. I really like this dress, but I am not am not sure with the baby soon to arrive when the next opportunity will be for me to wear something dressy.  No reason to have this sitting in the closet waiting on death row.

Here are the measurements  Length 34", Bust 32", Waist 25".
I know the size limitations makes it a bit hard, but I hope this dress will find a nice new home:) 

To enter, just leave a comment on this post!

For extra entry, you can do the following and comment back with the link:
1) blog, tweet, or facebook about this giveaway with a link to this post
2) follow this blog by using "blogger" button or "bloglovin" button on the side bar
3) follow me on twitter


The giveaway will be open until next Thursday, March 3rd. Enjoy❤

32 weeks

I snapped these photos after I came back from running some errands today. Thank God for the easily accessible self-timer and remote! I lost my remote a while ago, but happened to find it under the couch while I was cleaning. I'm happy that I didn't rush and buy a new one :p

While I was running some errands, I could not resist the temptation to stop at Mister Donuts. I don't know if you have Mister Donuts in your country, but it's awesome. I like Crispy Creame and Dunkin Donuts, but they cannot even compare to Mister Donuts.   Mister Donuts' donuts are not too sweet and have a terrific soft chewy texture.  Some of them are really fun, they come in the shape of bears or lions  And most come have a whipped cream filling and are covered in chocolate. As I said, I picked one up today and was chowing down while browsing through a shoe store. Then..... I saw myself in the mirror.  I really looked pregnant! Round face, big belly and a donuts in hand. It was quite comical.

I had a doctor's check up earlier this week, and the baby is doing well. She is estimated to weight 2200 grams now. Since she got big, she cannot fit in one screen for the ultra-sound, and her picture has to be divided in two.

We received some gifts for the baby from our excited family:
My mom made this cute pouch with strawberry zipper charm. I think it would be perfect to carry some small items, like pacifiers?

 From my mother-in-law: some head clips and head bands in different pastel colors. I love little baby girl's head bands, especially on bald head babies. I wonder if my baby will be born with a lot of black hair like other Asian babies, or be bald..

 More clothes...

 I finally put up the castle decal on  the wall. The nursery still does not look all that exciting.  Hopefully Andy and I can get some more decorating done.

Finally here is a short "behind the scenes" clip from our maternity photo shoot. We had the photos taken at 31 weeks, and are waiting for the finished products - I really can't wait to see them myself and show you here!

Inspiration: Sretsis/Autumn Winter 2011

Images via wikifashion

While I was busy preparing for Spring clothes for my shop, isn't it crazy to see some designers are already ready for Autumn Winter 2011?! I can never think that far ahead! 

For some reasons, this Sretsis Autumn/Winter collection strikes me as more of "Spring" collection, perhaps because of the light weight fabrics and pinks. I love the 70s inspired feel to this collection, especially the top left one! 

Strawberry Koi Dress Project

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Many of you might  know the lovely blog, Strawberry Koi  run by Aya Smith but if you don't, do yourself a favor and give it a look-see.  I am a huge fan of her blog.  I love her vintage inspired outfit posts and how-tos, such as this bow tutorial. She also runs an etsy vintage shop.
 

The reason I mention her now is because over the past couple of months, she and I have been collaborating on a creation of "Strawberry Koi Dress".  I contacted her a while back about the idea of her designing a piece that I would then bring to life.  She agreed and we have been working on this ever since.  I am happy to announce that the project has just  been completed and I will be unveiling the dress soon.  She will be modeling and posting the project on her blog soon. I can't wait to see hear wearing the dress!  
 

I am so excited for the final release of this piece.  It's outside my normal design range because Aya has a different creative eye than me but that is exactly what made this so much fun. 

For today, here are some pictures from the early creation process:)

Belated Valentine's day post

It has become our tradition to do gift exchange with $20 spending limit on occasions like Valentine's day and Christmas. I think this tradition had started one Christmas, when we decided that it was just too much money to do something special for our wedding anniversary (12th), buy each other Christmas gift (25th) and buy our family and co-worker Christmas gift all in the same month of December.
Although it started from a practical reason, we ended up really enjoying doing this. The spending limit forces us both to be creative:)

For this Valentine's day, I bought Andy push-up bars (not pictured) and made him a handmade T-shirt. I used his favorite Rocky T-shirt as a base. I didn't even make patterns for the T-shirt, but just placed the T-shirt on the fabric and cut. Men's T-shirt is so much easier to make than some woman's clothes! Having no darts or zippers is wonderful. I finished his T-shirt in about half an hour. I added a patch pocket on the left with black and white stripe fabric, and added "Vivat Veritas" fabric tag in the back.
What do you think? Should I start men's line? :p

Andy knew how much I love Knap jewelry, and surprised me with her handmade earrings and matching necklace. The color is beautiful, it's a mix of purple and blue, and depending on the light, the color changes.. I've already worn them 3 days in a row! He also made me a handmade peanut butter cups. If you follow me on twitter, you might know how much I am obsessed with Reese's peanut butter cups.. The reason for my obsession is not only because they are delicious but also we cannot buy Reese's peanut butter cups in Japan. I searched everywhere for this. Different import food stores etc. I guess Japanese people are not so into the combination of peanut butter and chocolate, because I don't really find those combination in any chocolate stores. So I was thrilled when he made me handmade ones...He made them so big they were almost like a cake! lol.

Interview: Meet Jason!

Happy Friday! Recently I have had the opportunity to collaborate with some amazing photographers, models and other crafters and I am planning to showcase them to you from time to time via interviews...let  me know what you think:)

First, let me introduce you to Jason Weddington.  He is the photographer who shot my 2011 Spring Collection. I wasn't sure how shooting with someone I did not know would work out, and I was a bit nervous. In the past, when I did photo shoot, people I worked with was either friends or friends' friends.  But it turned out that I really enjoyed working with Jason. 

One thing I have to mention is the speed at which Jason works.  He shot, edited and finalized the pictures in 72 hours.  He served in the Marines which is where I guess he learned that work ethic...he does their reputation proud. Simply Amazing!  

I was 100% satisfied with Jason's work.. and would love to see what he is going to work on in the future.. If only Andy were able to use a camera like him!

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Can you give our readers a quick self introduction?

Hmm, let's see.  I'm 33 years old, I live in Tokyo, and I've been in Japan for about 9 years.  I spend too much money on camera equipment, but this year I'm going to do better.  I'm also going to lose 5 kg.  (It's good to have goals, right?)  I shoot travel scenes, street photography, portraits, event photos, and fine art.  I like pictures that tell a story, or show something inspiring like a scene of natural or man-made beauty.

When did your interest in photography start?

I've had a camera at various times throughout my life, but I became seriously interested in photography (rather than simply taking snapshots) around 2000 or 2001.

What was the first picture you took after you decided that you were a “photographer”?

I don't think it really works that way.  At least it didn't for me.  I became a photographer slowly over time, and I still don't introduce myself as a one.  For a while I was "interested in photography."  Then I was "into photography."  Then for a while I told people that "photography is my hobby."  Now I tell people that photography is my passion, but I still don't introduce myself as a photographer.

What has been the best shot you have taken?

I have many favorites across several subject areas.  I can't really pick a best shot.  The images in the portfolio section of my site are some of my current faves, but I'll probably change my mind in a few months.

What has been the worst shot you have taken?

No idea.  Whatever it was I've long since deleted it and never looked back.  I shoot digital and delete on the spot if the image is a failure.  

How do you define your role in the creative process when working independently versus when part of a team?

When working as part of a team I see my role as that of a consultant.  I try to understand the client's vision, and sometimes help them take that vision from abstract to concrete.  Then I try to use the knowledge, skills, and tools available to me to create images that match that vision.  

When I'm on my own it varies.  Sometimes I have a specific idea that I want to try.  Sometimes I just wander around with a camera and shoot whatever looks interesting.  Sometimes I wander around with a camera and don't shoot anything at all.  Those are the hardest days.

Do you enjoy the collaborative process?  

I enjoy working with models.  When I'm able to develop a rapport with a model we tend to feed off each other and the ideas just keep coming.  It's great fun to release the creative energy and see where it goes.

Where do you see photography as an art medium heading in the future?

The tools are getting better.  With modern DSLRs there are very few technical limitations left.  If you've an eye for composition and can learn how to see light, there are fewer barriers between you and that perfect image than ever before.  It's a great time to pick up a camera, and more people seem to be getting into photography as a hobby.

Will you look to stay on the cutting edge of the photography medium or will you try and buck the trends?

I just bought an 18 year old lens, what does that tell you?  It's all about the right tool for the job.  I do try stay current on the digital workflow side, because those tools are changing very quickly.  I used to spend hours in PhotoShop on editing tasks that I can now complete in just minutes in Lightroom.  So it really pays to stop of the latest trends in workflow.

Do you have any upcoming projects?  If not do you have any short term goals you are working towards?

I'm doing some portfolio shots for a lovely model from the UK in a few weeks.  In the spring I'd like to make it to Kyoto to shoot more of that amazing city.

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Check out more of his photos on his flickr page and his website❤ He also sells his prints here on RedBubble.  

31 weeks

31 weeks:)
I love reading other pregnant ladies blog posts in the world wide web. First of all, I want to say congratulations to Hana, who gave birth to a beautiful baby boy last night!

I thought the last pregnancy post at Seabird was really neat, and decided to imitate her a little Q&A.


Total weight gain:
Last time I checked, which was a week and a half ago, I had gained 7 kg (16 lbs) in total.  I gained a lot around 6 months, since it coincided with Christmas and New Year. I ate way too much around that time, and my appetite didn't seem to be satisfied no matter what I ate! It was crazy. I was really obsessed with food. Recently, I've noticed some change in my appetite, I think there is less room for food in my stomach because the baby is getting bigger. I used to check my weight every day, but stopped it, because I worry about it too much.I'll check my weight at the next doctor's check up.

Maternity clothes?
My friend gave me some maternity clothes (seen here), but I have not bought anything myself. I own many jersey dresses and comfortable pieces that I was able to continue wearing through out pregnancy.
I made two items with maternity in mind: this paper bag skirt and bandage dress. I have been wearing them a lot lately, since they are so comfy! My next creation will be this top, using Meg Neilson's maternity wrap pattern. I already bought the fabric for it:)

Stretch marks?
I've gotten one straight line right in the center... I hope they will go away once I give birth?!

Sleep?
Depends on the night. Most nights I'm tired enough, and I sleep pretty well. Even if I get up for bathroom in the middle of the night, I go back to sleep right away. It had been a challenge to sleep on my side, until I got used to it, because I used to sleep on my back before getting pregnant. Now my belly is too big, that I can no longer sleep on my back.I think exercising is helping me sleep better at night.

Movement?
My little Sophia moves a lot! I can feel that she is practicing using her joint, kicking, and punching. I am not 100% sure, but I feel like I'm feeling her little feet against my belly. I feel her move a lot when I'm sitting down, working on computer, and sometimes she moves so much she overwhelms me! :)

Food cravings?
I guess I'm wanting more sweets and greasy stuff than I used to. But nothing too noticeable. I love any kind of food:) 

Belly Button in or out?
My belly button used to be in, but now it's completely out! and flat! I wonder if it goes back to normal after giving birth.

Birth plan?
The birth will be planned, although the exact date has not been decided yet by the doctor. My husband will be in the delivery room with me. I will be in the hospital at 9am of the day of scheduled birth, and they will induce the baby.
If water breaks and the contraction starts before the date of my scheduled date, I will just have to go with the flow and give natural birth.

Breast or bottle?
Breast. I hope I can do this without problem! I made some reusable nursing pads, and bought Medela swing breast pump so my husband can help me feed the breast milk to the baby.

Something I can't wait to do:
Wear heels! I'm sick of wearing flats, but don't want to take a risk of falling wearing high-heels now.
I also want to take some vacation over seas, Maybe Thailand or Bali again with little Sophia. I want to go somewhere hot.

Heartburn?
Oh man, I've never experienced such a terrible heartburn before pregnancy. It just started last week, and I have had really intense one twice in the middle of night. Both nights, I had something greasy for dinner, one night, thick Ramen noodle and the other night, pasta. It was a really terrible feeling to be waken up in the middle of the night because of this.
I have to be careful about what I eat now, and how much I eat, because even if I feel fine while eating it, it comes back to me at 3am in the morning..

Wedding rings?
Still wearing them! Thankfully, I haven't had any swelling problems at all.

Working out?
Yes! I love working out, and I'm glad I made a habit of working out before I got pregnant. It must be hard to start it after, since your body changes so much.
I go to gym 2-3 times a week, and do 30 minutes of elliptical and lift some weights. Once or twice a week, I do 40 minutes to an hour of the Pit workout. I like the Pit, since I can do it at home.
Rest of the time, I use Bass Rutten's MMA workout CD. It's a short 30 minutes work out, and also can be done at home. 
I stopped running outside, because I'm afraid of falling, and also people staring at me. Maybe I'm too self-conscious. Also it's just too cold to run outside right now! 
I work out almost every day..sweating makes me feel better and I can sleep better at night:)

Inspiration: Photos by Steven Chee

Images via The Vintage Valley

Today's inspiration comes from photography by Steven Chee. These are something that I want to be wearing this Spring - gingham check, waist marked dresses and higher neckline. Those outfits are so classy!

2011 Spring Collection Lookbook

❤ Vivat Veritas 2011 Spring Collection Lookbook❤

Credit:
Photographer: Jason Weddington
Models: Sarah Feinerman and Ayumi Ikeda
Jewelry Designer: Knap (Keiko Okamoto)
Makeup and Hair: Naoko Kadota (Sarah Hair), Mayuko Nakamura (Sarah Makeup), Miyuki Kazama (Ayumi Hair), Natsuko Kurosawa (Ayumi Makeup) from K-two make&nail School

Yay!  The Spring collection lookbook is here! I'm so happy with the result. I can't add these images to my main website until early March, since my main website is under construction but here are the finished photos!

My husband and I worked hard for this...many late nights sewing and pattern-making, coordinating for the shoot with photographer, models, jewelry designer and make up artists but it was a great experience. I want to send special thanks to everyone who made this possible, Jason for amazing photos and fast turn-around, Sarah and Ayumi for modeling in cold February weather, Keiko for making lovely jewelry to match my clothes and last but not least, the makeup and hair artists for doing their magic!

An added point of interest for this shoot came because of my collaboration with a local jewelry designer, Knap. I have been a fan of her dainty, glass jewelry for quite a while first spotting  her on etsy. She kindly let me use her jewelry for the shoot, and designed some new earrings to match some of my clothes.
Unfortunately, only one out of two models had ear pierced (my fault for not checking ahead of time..) and we could not shoot as many photos emphasizing the earrings as I initially planned. Also in terms of photo shot prep, I planned for clothes, not for jewlery. In other words, I was at a loss when Jason asked me what kind of shots I wanted for the jewelry. This I want to improve for future collaborative efforts.

Beside being freezing cold on the day of the shoot, we had a difficulty finding a place to shoot that was security guard free. The first couple of photos were taken near a government building in Shinjuku. I had no idea we needed permission for this. Thankfully, we had some nice shots completed by the time the security guard kicked us out. We then moved to a park in Shinjuku, but again, some security guards bothered us. I assumed shooting at a park would be fine since it's  public property... I was mistaken :(

In the end, everything came together nicely.  I learned a lot for future shots and will be well prepared for a "Secret Garden" fantasy shoot I have coming up in a few weeks.  Take a look at the video and tell me what you think!  I'd love to hear about any experiences you may have had with a similar project or recommendations you have for the future.

Weekend recap

Hello! Hope everyone had a nice weekend:)
Mine was a lot of fun, busy and as always went too quick. Here is my highlight of the weekend:

1. I worked on some bride's maid dresses order -  I love sewing bride's maid dresses! I usually don't like making same things over and over again, but for some reasons, I really don't mind the repetition for making bride's maid dresses. Perhaps it's the excitement of someone getting married.

2. Wrapped up Valentine's day gift for my husband♪　I have a ton of scrap fabrics that I can use to make gift wrapping pretty. I cut out a piece of left over fabric in a heart shape, glued it on top of gift box and tie the boxwith yarn.

3. My husband and I had a pregnancy/maternity photo session with our photographer friend, Will Robb. Will shot my A/W2010 lookbook in the past and is an amazing photographer! Can you believe he is a self-taught photographer?!
The photo session lasted five hours, but it felt like it was only half an hour. I can't wait to show you the finished photos soon!

4. Finally I started working on Casey's 1940's swing dress sew-along. I'm soo behind! I printed out the patterns, and will be assembling them tomorrow, whereas Casey and others already made muslin, and about to cut the fashion fabric. I really need to catch up!

How was your weekend?

By the way to celebrate Valentine's day, I am offering 15% off for blog readers and twitter followers at my shop! Please use a coupon code "Valentine15" at check-out. The coupon code is valid only for today and tomorrow!

30 weeks - The Daddy Chronicles Part I

The Daddy Chronicles

A letter to my unborn child:

Any hip hop fan will note the reference in this blog posts title to a song by the same name by Tupac Shakur. It may seem odd to reference a Tupac song in this instance but, as chance would have it, the song recently turned up on my MP3 player while I was working out.  The song lyrics got me thinking about the my baby's coming birth. What do I want to tell my daughter now If am not able in the future?  What are some things I want her to understand  about the time of her birth and her fathers thoughts on the matter? It is in that vein that I write this letter.

To My first child Sophia Kiko Duncan
On the day of your birth, I plan God wiling, to be in the front row holding your mothers hand welcoming you into the world. What my initial reaction will be, I do not yet know. What will go through my mind as I first lay eyes on you I cannot yet conceive. Yet, as I sit in this rocking chair penning this letter, I can think of three things that I would like you to understand.

First, as your father, I must say now on the day of your birth that I make no excuses for the many failures I will commit. I will not be the father I should be because I am not the husband nor man I should be. For this you have my sincerest apologies. Your daddy is a sinful man and deserves more criticism than he receives in regards to how he lives, what he does and what he does not do. I see perfection and know all too well my own short comings. It is my duty to to be perfect and as God as my witness I will look to be be the perfect father, husband and man I should be. Yet, as you read this, you know I will never have been able to meet this standard. Nonetheless, from the day of your birth, it is your job to hold me accountable as your father, to show me how to love, serve and honor you in the ways I should.

Secondly I do not want, for one second of your precious life, for you to believe that I have ever worried about you. There is no fear in this man in regards to you. Doubt, concern, trepidation all vanish from this man when you enter his mind. You were conceived in love and given as a part of this family at the perfect time and in the perfect way. The timing and plan of our Almighty Father continues to awe me. The grace I have received and the love you conjure completely outshine any darkness that otherwise haunts me. Although, I should be concerned with the many things that will come with being your father, I am not. I have no fear for you or about you. You are a gift entrusted to your mother and I for a time. As I think about you how could I have any feeling but love, confidence and hope.

What I do need to express before this letter comes to completion is utter joy in the present and tremendous anticipation for your arrival. I have nothing but hope for you.  Sophia, your mother and myself as a family are a family. Only thoughts of appreciation and gratefulness enter my prayers of thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father.  Christ is the leader, head and base of this family.  Because of that I can wait expectantly on you birth and life.   In all, your mother and I, feel ever expanding fulfillment as you enter our lives. You Sophia Kiko Duncan are loved more than you know. Your father and mother eagerly look ahead and imagine who you are and what you will become.

Every year on your birthday you will receive a letter. I pray that they will remind you of the love we share, and the hope.  Let these letters spur you forward for a life of glory.  A life in which you glorify Him and are glorified in Him.

Your Father
Andrew William Duncan

Inspiration: Rachel Antonoff S/S Look Book

What a fun, and different lookbook! Sheet music, piano, trumpet, bed and stuffed animals are such cute ideas.

I love the red shorts, with white piping (or bias tape?) detail. Piping in contrasting color is something that I want to incorporate in my clothing this coming seasons.

Rachel Antonoff via Liebemarlene Vintage blog.

Spring Collection Preview

I hope you are not sick of me talking about the Spring collection and photo shoot because here is another post! I promise I have other topics that I will be posting on soon :)

Anyway, the collections mood shots are not ready yet, but here is a preview of my mini Spring collection on body form. More detailed photos are posted on my flickr set, here.

I came up with three different dress designs: Sweet heart cut out dress, Choker dress and Front cross dress. All three dresses have focus on unique necklines. A few months ago I was working out at the gym and, (as you may know if you're a workout freak like me) while hitting the treadmill, random thoughts come and go. I was thinking about how, in the near future, I won't be able to wear a necklace.  This is because once I have the baby, my new darling will want nothing more than to pull, play and chew my neck wear. While thinking about this coming difficulty, it dawned on me, how about a dress that focuses on a particular neck detail that acts almost like a necklace!

These dresses were also inspired by my husband's comment about how he loves chokers on women. He kept saying that I should design something that has choker-like wrap around in the neck. He even drew some pictures to describe what he meant...well this was almost two years ago, but I finally put that into a shape.

Although these dresses are not suited for nursing, I'm pretty happy with what I came up!
So my inspiration came out from some practical point of view - where do you usually draw inspirations from?

I only posted Gingham check sweet heart cut out dress on my shop now, but the rest will be uploaded through out this week. 

Behind the scenes - make up session

As I mentioned last week, I had a photo shoot of my Spring collection on the weekend! The shoot went very well, thanks to an amazing photographer, Jason Weddington, two lovely models, Ayumi and Sarah, and four make up and hair artists. I was really nervous about the shoot, and looking back now, I have a lot of things that I want to improve for the next time.

Here are some behind the scene photos and a video that my husband made. I can't wait to show you the finished product!

Guest blogger: Studio tour by Megan Nielsen

Happy Friday! Today I'm having an Australian designer, Megan Nielsen as a guest blogger. 
I always admire people with well-organized sewing studio, and when I saw her post on her blog about her sewing room, I knew I had to ask her how she does it! My sewing room is such a mess, and I really needed some advice on how to organize it well before the baby comes. 

In addition to having a successful clothing line worn by Jessica Quirk of What I Wore and Kendi Lea of Kendi Everyday (two of my favorite daily read!), she is a wife and a mother of two young children. She also sells sewing patterns, including some maternity clothes sewing patterns. I've been wanting to make her wrap maternity top so bad! 

Enough with my rambling, and here is Meg ❤




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Hi everyone! My name is Megan Nielsen, but you can call me Meg! I’m an independent Australian designer, and Chie has asked me to share a little with all of you on how I have my studio set up.

I’ve worked hard over the last few years to hone my studio arrangement to it’s most efficient point. It’s been such a journey, and I’ve gone through so many iterations that it’s kind of hysterical – but I finally found what that works perfectly for me! You see I have 2 small children (both under 3), so the time I get to work on my sewing projects is limited - which means I need to be able to find everything immediately when I get a second to work. Added to that, sewing equipment is pretty dangerous for little kids, so everything needs to be out of reach, and I need to know exactly where it all is so I can tell if it’s missing! Actually you’ll find a lot of the way my room is set up (and the fact that it’s neat at all) is because I have little ones running around!

This is the basic arrangement:
I have a very long desk against one wall which has my sewing machine and my serger/overlocker. On that wall I also keep my peg board (which is like, the best thing EVER!). On the peg board I keep all the dangerous stuff, scissors, pins, needles, small buttons, rulers etc . It works really perfectly for me, because as I’m sewing on my machines I can reach up for whatever I need – but things are also well out of reach of little hands.

I then have a smaller desk round the side that houses my little office area – computer, printer, stationary and shipping supplies. Packing up orders to ship can sometimes take a while, so it’s really great to have a designated area. Above my computer screen, is my inspiration board. I normally keep my main sketches for the current season, as well as the fabrics I’m use and whatever inspirations I’m drawing on – it really helps to keep me focused!

In the middle of the room I have my cutting table – it’s really perfect here because I can access it from all angles, but also means that while I’m at my sewing station I can easily swivel my chair around and work on my cutting table. I keep a huge self healing mat on here at all times so that I can use my rotary cutter really easily. I like to use this table for pattern drafting too, since it’s so big and I have the grid underneath.
I keep my patterns in plastic drawers, organized by season, or type, whichever is more appropriate – and each pattern is housed in a large zip lock bag – just in case sticky little hands get access!
On the other side is my ironing board, which is always set up. I think anyone who serious about sewing will always have their iron on when they sew! I honestly think the difference something looking amateurish or professional.

You may have noticed there isn’t any fabric anywhere – that’s partly because I don’t want it any place that my kids can get to it, and partly because I have so much that it needs it’s own room to be stored (if fabric hoarding was a disease, I’d be a terminal case). There’s nothing fancy there, just lots of large plastic tubs and shelves.
The last things in my room are my 3 dress forms. Which are generally just scattered around depending on what I’m working on!

So there you have it!! That’s just a little bit about my studio space, and why I have it the way I do – it works so well for me, and I hope you’ve enjoyed my little tour!
XOXO

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I was also inspired by her blog post "how I do it all" - full of wisdom for a mother-to-be, like me.  Her "Meg's maternity wear survival guide" was very helpful as well.